Anderson equals Botham record, England dismiss West Indies for 289

Reuters: Pace bowler James Anderson equalled an Ian Botham record when he took five wickets as England dismissed West Indies for 289 in the first innings of the first test in Barbados on Thursday.

Cricket - West Indies v England - First Test - Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados - January 24, 2019 England’s James Anderson celebrates taking the wicket of West Indies’ Alzarri Joseph (not pictured) Action Images via Reuters

Anderson’s 27th five-wicket haul matched Botham’s tally, a record for England, and was instrumental in keeping West Indies’ total below 300 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.

He picked up one more scalp on Thursday morning — tailender Alzarri Joseph for a duck — as the Windies added 25 runs to their overnight total, with England taking nearly an hour to mop up the final two wickets.

Anderson finished with five for 46 off 30 tight overs, while fellow paceman Ben Stokes chipped in with 4-59.

Shimron Hetmyer was the last man out, caught behind off Stokes going for an agricultural slog.

Hetmyer, who will play for Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the upcoming Indian Premier League Twenty20, top scored with a highly impressive, hard-hitting 81 off 109 balls.

In reply, England were 30 for one at lunch, left-hander Keaton Jennings the batsman to depart, caught off a thick edge at gully off a full length Jason Holder delivery for 17.

Rory Burns and Jonny Bairstow were both on two at the break, the former negotiating 25 deliveries as he did his best to see off the new ball.

While England opted to field two spinners, West Indies went with a four-pronged pace attack on a pitch that, while not exactly fiery, was offering some reward.

The teams are playing a three-test series in the Caribbean.